Next Meeting Wednesday 4th February 2026 6:45PM Newhaven College Year 9 Centre

- New members welcome
- Come along and join us for a night of star gazing.
- Learn what objects are in the sky at this time.
- Light refreshments provided.

Welcome to PIACA — Phillip Island Astronomy & Cosmology Association for Bass Coast

We are proud to be the first astronomy club in Australia to formally integrate cosmology alongside traditional astronomy. Our mission is to advance these sciences for our members and to inspire children and families throughout the Bass Coast region.

Our Meetings

We meet on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:45 pm in the Year 9 Bass Room, Newhaven College, Newhaven, Phillip Island.
New members are always welcome – bring friends and family along to share the experience, no telescope required.

Note: To get to the Year 9 Bass Room, enter by driving through the main Newhaven College gate at 1770 Phillip Island Rd, Rhyll VIC 3923.

At the roundabout, turn right and follow the road to the end to reach the Year 9 building. After heading into the Year 9 building, turn left and walk down the main corridor. The Year 9 Bass room is the last classroom on your right.

Observing Nights

In addition to our monthly meeting, we hold at least one Sky Night each month, where members set up their telescopes under Phillip Island’s famously dark skies.

The club also owns two large Dobsonian telescopes and has access to the 14" dome-mounted, fully automatic remote deep-sky telescope at Newhaven College

Annual Trips

We organise two trips away each year to low light pollution locations in Victoria. These trips provide exceptional opportunities for deep sky viewing, as well as plenty of camaraderie and fun!

Cosmology at PIACA

Twice each year, we organise away trips to low-light-pollution locations across Victoria. These excursions offer outstanding deep-sky viewing as well as great opportunities for friendship, learning, and fun.

Our Community

Family, friendship, and lifelong learning are at the heart of our club. We actively support education for young people across Bass Coast, inspiring them to pursue curiosity, science, and higher learning.

In Summary

We are a family-oriented club passionate about exploring the stars, constellations, planets, galaxies, and the story of how our universe came to be.
Our learning journey is ongoing, and we are proud of our continuing partnership with Newhaven College and the Year 9 Astronomy Department.

How to Become a Member

To join – or simply attend one of our observation nights, please contact our president Eden White on:

Email: president@piaca.org.au

Phone: 0448 637 172